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W. HADLEY Breech Loading Fire Arm. Y

' Patented Oct. 5, 1880.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. HADLEY, OF OF ONE-HALF cnrcornn FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, nssrenoe OF HIS RIGHT T T.

G. PAGE, OF SAME PLACE.

BREECH-LO'VADYING FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,816, dated October 5, 1880. Application filed July 12, 1 880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEQRGE W..HADLEY, of Chicopee Falls, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Breech-Loading Fire- Arms, of which the following is a specification. Myinvention relates to breech-loadi n g guns; and the invention consists of an attachment by whichthe arm can be converted at will from a center-fire to a rim-fire gun, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gun having my improvement applied thereto, a portioubein gshown in section. Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective. views of the added parts, shown detached to more clearly illustrate their construction.

- This improvement is designed more especially for use with the arm known as the Maynard gun, but is applicable to any gun of a similar construction.

In Fig. 1, B represents the barrel, and A the stationary breech piece, of the Maynard gun, the construction .of which, being well known, need not be specifically described. In this gun, as usually constructed, there is space left between the rear end of the barrel and the face ofthe breech-piece of about an eighth of an inch, (more or less,) and which space is 00-.

cnpied by the 'protrudin g dinarily used in this arm.

, As representedin Fig. 1, the firing-pin a of this gun is arranged to strike at the center of the cartridge-head, by which it is adapted to the use of center-fire" cartridges only, and it is to enable the arm thus constructed to use rimfire cartridges also that my invention .is designed. In order to do this I providea cap or cup shaped piece, 0, (shown detached in Fig. 2,) of the proper size to fit overthe face of the breech-piece A, which latter is undercut atits lower side to permit the cap 0 to fit thereon, as shown in Fig. 1; or, if preferred, the lower side of the cap C may be cut away, in which case it will not be necessary to undercut the breech, as represented. The face or closed. bottom of this cap 0 is made of a thickness suflicient to fill the space between the face of the breech A and the end of the barrel B, as shown in Fig. 1, and on the inner side of this head of the shell orflange of the shell.

as with a small hole, n, which extends through the I then provide a disk, d, Fig. 3,) of the proper diameter to fit loosely in the recess b, but some- 5' I what thinner than the depth of the recess, so-

that when placed therein it will be capable of being moved back and forth-for a very'short distance. This disk d has projecting from its face a small firing pin or point, 0, so located that when the disk is inserted in the recess b this point 0 will rest in the hole a, as represented in Fig. 1, the holen, and consequently the point 0, being located in the proper position to bring the latter directily opposite the flangeof the "shell D in the chamber of the barrel, which shell is supposed to represent a rim-fire cartridge, or one of that class which has its fulminatev located within the hollow In the drawings the firing-point is repre-v sented as being located to strike the flange at the lower side of the cartridgein the chamber; but it is obvious that it may be located. at any point in the circle of the flange, and that, if desired, two or more firing-points may be provided, so as to strike the flange of the shell at different or opposite points simultaneously, though in practice this is not found necessary with the well-primed cartridges of the present 86 day.

The cap 0 is secured in place by a couple of screws inserted through the holeslinits sides, (shown in Fig. 2,) so that to the attachment it is only necessary to insert or remove these two screws.

From the foregoing description it will read-. ily be seen that whenever it is desired to adapt the gun to the use of rim-fire cartridges itis only necessary to apply the cap 0, with its Striker 0 d, as shown in Fig. 1, in which case the blow of the hammer is transmitted, through the firing-pin-a, to the disk or striker d, the point 0 of which is thereby driven against the rim or flange of the .shellD with sufiicicnt force to ig nite the fulminate therein. V When it is desired to use the center-fire cartridges it is only necessary to remove the cap a r small cost,

O", with its striker :1, when the firing-pin a, will strike the 'primer at the center of the shell and fire it in the-usual manner.

It will thus be seen that by these means the gun can at any; time be changed to useeither rimor center fire cartridges, at the same time retaining the original hammer and firing-pin without any change.

Another advantage of this plan is th atit can be applied to the guns already in use at a very and that it in no way interferes with the use of-the gun and itsammunition as they already exist.

spond ingly thinner,

.In Fig. 1 the end of the barrel is represented as being recessed to receive the flange of the shelltbut, this may or may not be done, as desired. If not done, it will, ofeeurse, be necessary to'make the bottom of the cap 0 correto allow for the projection 'andhaving its point 0 arranged to strike at the edge of the chamber, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

I GEORGE- W; HADLEY;

Witnesses:

T. 0. PAGE, E. O. CARTER. 

